Method of and means for extracting liquid from materials which in bulk present foramina



April 5, 1960 M Filed Oct w DAVIDSON 2 931,290

9 METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR EXTRACTING LIQUID FROM MATERIALS WHICH IN BULKPRESENT FORAMINA 16, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 lil' lhiiiili'iiiiiiiii-c-fllM. w. DAVIDSON 2,931,290 MEANS FOR EXTRACTING LIQUID FROM MATERIALSWHICH IN BULK PRESENT FORAMINA 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 E A M 7 6 'zmmajzyzApril 5, 1960 METHOD OF AND Filed on. 16. 1956 M. w. DAVIDSON 2,931,290

us FOR EXTRACTING LIQUID mom I CH IN BULK PRESENT FORAIIINA m mm m m MMs Shets-Sheet 3 Filed Oct. 16, 1956 METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR EXTRACTINGLIQUID FROM MATERIALS WHICH IN BULK PRESENT FORAMINA Maxwell WingateDavidson, Galashiels, Scotland, as-

signor of one-half to Sanderson & .Murray, Limited, Galashiels,Scotland, at British company Application October 16, 1956, Serial No.616,179

Claims priority, application Great Britain December 17, 1955 3 Claims.(Cl. 100-211) This invention relates to a method of and means for theextraction of liquid from materials, such as fibrous or granularmaterials, which in bulk present foramina, and more particularly for theextraction of water from a mass of washed material such as textilefibres.

it has been previously proposed to provide a wringing machine forextracting water from washing, incorporating a container, a bagsuspended in the container and adapted to receive a-batch of washing,and means for compressing the bag; by thepressure of water admittedtothe container, so as to press water out of the washing.

Such a machine has the disadvantages that compression of the bag tendsto cause folds in the bag which trap parts of the washing, it ispossible to wring only one batch of washing at a time, and extraction ofwater from the bag necessitates the provision of a system of pipes forextraction of water from the bag.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide for extractingliquid from fibrous or granular materials in such wise that pressure isapplied uniformly to the material.

A further object is to provide for the extraction of liquid from thematerial in a continuous manner.

The method according to the invention consists in the steps of bringingthe material into contact with the outer face of an inflatable flexiblebag, and inflating the bag by fluid pressure in such Wise that the partof the bag in contact with the material is tensioned uniformly by thefluid pressure and is caused to conform readily to the configuration ofthe material.

The material is preferably conveyed intermittently into contact with thebag.

A press for performing the method according to the inventionincorporates a rigid frame, a flexible bag inflatable by pressure fluidand suspended from the frame, and an orificed plate or a screen locatedbelow and vertically spaced from the frame, the bag being adapted topress material from which liquid is to be extracted towards the plate orthe screen.

The bag is preferably spring-urged in the direction towards the frame.

A practical embodiment of the invention is illustrated in theaccompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the press.

Fig. 2 is an end elevation.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary side elevation of a flexible bag incorporated inthe press.

Fig. 4 is a section of the bag.

Fig. 5 is a plan of the bag.

Referring to the drawings, 1 denotes a flexible bag in the form of abellows inflatable by fluid pressure and suspended from a rigid frame 2.3 denotes an orificed plate or screen supported by a frame 4complementary to and vertically spaced from the frame 2.

An endless perforated conveyer belt, preferably of resilient material,trained around end rollers 6, 7 and having a horizontal upper flight 5is adapted to travel between nited States PatentO the frames 2, 4, andabove the plate or screen 3 and to convey the material 8 from whichliquid is to be extracted to a position beyond the bellows 1.

The driving means (including devices of known type and not illustrated)for the conveyer 5 is adapted to effect travel of the conveyer 5 insynchronism with operation of the bellows 1. These operations may beeffected by equipment of the type disclosed in United States Patent No.2,272,009, in which the operating fluid supplied to the piston 0-1 tomove the platen 38 down, andlater exhausted therefrom, would be used toinflate and deflate the bellows 1 of the present application.

The upper face of the frame 4 (as illustrated in Fig. 3) is formed witha plurality of channels 9 leading to a trough 10 (Fig. l) which may bepiped to a drain (not illustrated).

The lower flight 11 of the conveyer passes under guide rollers 12, 13revoluble about horizontal axes in a framework 14 supporting the frames2, 4 and the rollers 6, 7.

The bellows 1 is constituted by two resilient superposed sheets 15, 16(Figs. 3 and 4) secured together at their marginal edge portions by apair of superposed rings 17, 18 of rigid material interconnected, forexample, by bolts and nuts. w i

The upper sheet 15 is formed with a central aperture 19; (Fig. 4). Anannular flange 20 secured to said sheet 15 adjacent to the aperture 19embraces one end portion of a pipe 21 connected to a source of pressurefluid supply. The pipe 21 passes through a vertical hole 22 (Fig. 1)formed in the upper frame 2.

The bellows 1 is sustained in engagement with the under face of theframe 2 by means of a plurality of vertical tension springs 23 each ofwhich is connected at its lower end to the upper ring 17 of the bellows1, and at its upper end to a bracket 24 projecting from the frame 2.

The channels 9 in the frame 4 are defined by the vertical limbs ofequi-spaced inverted T-shaped bars 25 the flanges of which are joinedtogether in co-planar relationship to form in effect a continuous plate.

The pipe 21 for supply of pressure fluid to the bellows 1 is connectedby an automatically operable valve arrangement (not illustrated) to thesource of pressure fluid supply, the valve arrangement being devisedalternately to admit fluid to the bellows and to exhaust fluid from thebellows. Where the pressure fluid is compressed air, the valvearrangement is devised to connect the pipe 21 alternately to the suctionside and to the exhaust side of an air compressor.

In practice, material 8 from which liquid is to be extracted is placedon the upper flight 5 of the conveyer for conveyance to a position underthe bellows 1. The driving means for the conveyer is arranged to causethe conveyer to travel a predetermined distance each time that pressurefluid is exhausted from the bellows 1, by the use of well-known devicesin a well-known manner. Devices suitable for this purpose are disclosedin United States Patent 2,272,009, as pointed out above.

When the bellows 1 is inflated, travel of the conveyer is interruptedand the bellows 1, during its expansion, presses the material 8 on theconveyer against the plate or screen 3 (as illustrated in Fig. 3),liquid expelled from the material 8 passing through the perforations ofthe conveyer and through the plate or screen 3 to the channels 9 whencethe liquid flows by way of the trough 10 to the drain. 7

After a predetermined period of time, the valve arrangement operates toexhaust pressure fluid from the bellows l which is deflated and risesunder the influence of the associated springs 23 in the direction awayfrom the frame 4. The timing and other operations here referred to maybe effected by the equipment of the type dis- V extraction location I awhich the press includes a stationary rigid frame at said locationextending above and across the plate and conr closed in United StatesPatent 2,272,009 in the mannerpointed out above. t The above-describedoperationis then repeated. 7

It is tobe noted that, when the bellows 1 is inflated, the fluidpressure in the bellows causes the face of the bellows 1 in contact withthe material 8 to betensioned uniformly and to conform readily to theconfiguration of the material, sothat pressure is applied to all thematerial in contact with the bellows 1 and efficient extraction ofliquid from the material 8 isefiected.

What is claimed is:

1. In a press for extracting liquid-from materials which in bulkpresentforamina, including a perforated platelocated at an extraction location,and a conveyor forfconveying material to be extracted through said oversaid plate, t'he improvement in when deflated permitting the conveyor tomove the-ex" amen materialaway from said'location and simultaneouslyconvey new material to be extracted'to apositi'o'n under the bag. r i

, 2. A press as claimed in claim 1, including a second flex itdownwardly and to ten-,

'' the rigid frame from which the said second frame supporting s theconveyor at the extraction vided at its upper surface with above thematerial on r rigid frame, complementary to and vertically spaced and atrough into which said channels lead.

3. A press as claimed in is in the form of a arranged bellows, and w ingthe bag above deflated includes a arranged tension spri the bellows andat t said springs suspending undersurface of the rigi from flexible bagis suspended, aid perforated plate and location and being proa pluralityof channels,

claim 1, in which the bag rectangular-shaped horizontallyherein saidmeans for maintainthe material on the conveyor when plurality oflaterally-spaced verticallyngs each connected at one end to he other endto the rigid frame, the bellows in contact with the d 'frame andretracting the bellows' away from the extracted material whenthe bellowsis deflated.

References Cited in the fileof this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS SmithDec. 3, I Harvey Oct. 11, Keller et a1. Feb. 3, Weyant Jan. 27,

FOREIGN PATENTS 7 Sweden ;Iai1. Sweden .1-

Germany Mar. 1-, Germany Sept. 6, France Oct. 17, France Sept. 29,

